[Ellie's P.O.V]
"I know, Madam," she said, "but I genuinely don't know who the culprit is. If my hands shook while washing vegetables earlier and caused a misunderstanding, I ask for your forgiveness. It wasn't intentional."
The middle-aged she-wolf lowered her head slightly, and her tone suddenly became calm, as if she no longer feared my questioning.
I felt my heart pounding, struggling to contain my anger. She seemed deliberately evasive, refusing to acknowledge Leah's whereabouts. If she didn't reveal Leah's location soon, I decided I would resort to force and initiate an investigation starting from her family. Leah's ability to poison the kitchen must have been facilitated by this middle-aged she-wolf's complicity.
If a gentle approach didn't work, I'd resort to something more forceful. After all, standing before her, I was the master of the entire manor. If anything happened to my family and friends, everyone in the manor would be implicated.
